BELONGING ESSAY – Tim DiGregorioThe multifaceted concept of belonging can negatively impact a person’s life, as not belonging to a social group can consume their self-esteem. The notion of belonging will be further explored in the poems: ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ and ‘St Patrick’s College’ by Peter Skrzynecki, and the film, ‘Happy Feet’ directed by George Miller. These texts all hinder similar aspects of not belonging to the social norm, whereby the characters all develop their own sense of belonging to self. Cultural alienation is demonstrated through Peter Skrzynecki’s attempts to understand his heritage and place in Australian society. In ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ the English language is portrayed as a complex barrier for Feliks to understand whilst he is faced with certain challenges in his attempts to integrate to the Australian way of life. The tone of the department clerk suggests an irritated character who through the metaphor ‘dancing bear grunts’ expresses his dissatisfaction of an unmotivated migrant failing to learn the language of his new home. The typical struggles a migrant faces, similarly to those of Feliks are ones of attempted cultural assimilation, while his “cultural baggage” can often hinder his attempts to fit into a new society. Feliks was unable to assimilate and self-forced himself to create a place where he felt he belonged, as referred to in the personified simile: ‘loved his garden like an only child’. Here we see a clear example of the migrant’s unsuccessful attempt to ‘fit in’ to society and as a result of obstacles such as heritage and assimilation by outside forces, Feliks was led to cultural alienation. An individual’s sense of belonging to a place is determined by factors such as social inclusion. In St Patrick’s College both Peter Skrzynecki and his mother have different opinions on what it means to belong to a society. “Mother enrolled me at St Pat’s with never a thought to fees and expenses” shows his mother’s idea on belonging to the...

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...always a conflict between the individual’s desire to belong and his/her duty to themselves.
To what extent is this true of the texts you have studied in Belonging?
Belonging is an instinctive factor in human nature which is embedded in everyone. The sense of belonging or not belonging can have a significant impact on a person’s life, their personality and their position in society. A person may find a strong sense ofbelonging through representations of symbolic places, relationships or events. Through these different aspects which create a sense of belonging, a strong individual identity can also be formed. Peter Skrzynecki explores these concepts in his poem “FeliksSkrzynecki” and presents the idea that there does not always have to be a conflict between an individual’s desire to belong and their duty to themselves. In this poem, Skrzynecki demonstrates how Feliks’ bond with his home country of Poland and his desire to continue to belong there, play a defining role in shaping his own individual identity in his new country, Australia. He retained his individual identity throughout the many experiences in his life and it is this strong sense of personal awareness that fuelled the desire to further strengthen his sense of belonging with Poland, as opposed to Australia. Through this motion,...

...Belonging to one's self is essential in order to belong to humanity. It is a sense that can only be achieved through embracing one's own identity, despite popular believe that we must change ourselves and adopt the traits of mainstream society in order to belong. As illustrated in Peter Skrzynecki's Immigrant Chronicle poetry, having a strong sense of self-knowledge & understanding - and a deep connection to one's own culture, beliefs and values - develops a feeling ofbelonging to and knowing one's self, and in turn, a strong sense of belonging to humanity. 'FeliksSkrzynecki', 'StPatrick'sCollege' and '10 Mary Street' all support this thesis and position the reader to consider the concepts of belonging from the perspective of someone who feels alienated, excluded and alone.
The poem 'FeliksSkrzynecki' tells us of Peter's father, his life, and his clear sense of belonging. It explores the concepts of familial, cultural and self-belonging, and reveals the regretful feelings of Peter, in relation to his alienation, his family's migration and the filial bond with his father. The clear and possibly most significant message of the poem is that belonging comes from within, and requires an accepting and peaceful attitude. These concepts are expressed through the use of poetic...

...BelongingEssay
‘An individual’s interaction with others and the world around them can enrich or limit their
experience of belonging.’
Discuss this view with detailed reference to your prescribed text and ONE other related text of
your own choosing.
This view can be taken in two ways. Firstly, one could agree with this statement in saying that ‘belonging’ plays a major role in one’s life and is essential through enriched interaction with others. In contrast, one could argue that belonging is limited through the interaction of others and can determine whether in fact someone does belong in a negative way. This can be analysed through both Arthur Millers play ‘The Crucible” and Paul Langan’s novel ‘Brothers in Arms’, where the best of both worlds are questioned.
Within ‘The Crucible’, we gauge that belonging is a central theme fairly early on in the piece, where in Act1 the events in the woods are represented as actions of disobedience and a fight against repression. They aim to belong in a society that is constricted, where age and gender are obviously a massive hurdle to overcome. By realising what belonging actually is and how to achieve it, many individuals chose different paths to get there and to hold onto, as seen by Abigail in Act1 who launches a failed attempt to belong through marriage and through John Proctor who needs to lie to protect himself. Guilt is a...

...﻿Belongingessay – trials question about how belonging is explored within the studied texts.
As human individuals, we search for a niche to which we belong. It is ingrained within human nature to want for acceptance, for inclusion. This primal instinct drives our actions, often altering the perceptions we form of both others and ourselves. Barriers to belonging can negatively affect us psychologically and personally. Our individuality may be questioned due to social, cultural or historical influences. However, the effects of external pressures will be minimal if an individual is already confident in themselves. A study of the collection of poems, ‘Immigrant Chronicles’ by Peter Skrzynecki and the book ‘The Island’ by composer Amir Greer explore the multiple facets involved in the dynamic process of belonging or not belonging.
If we are able to have a place in which we belong, our sense of self can be sustained. The heritage and experiences which an individual has within a culture cannot be forgotten; instead they may even become stronger. When placed in a new and confronting environment we can draw on past routine to provide comfort and security. The poem, ‘Felicks Skrzynecki’ written by composer, Peter Skrzynecki, uses poetic devices to explore how an individual can maintain a sense of belonging due to a strong cultural...

...FeliksSkrzyneckiBelonging presupposes inclusion and an acceptance of self, satisfying a yearning to be something larger than ourselves. The subjective nature of belonging, however, suggest it is often far more ambiguous and complex.
Belonging as a potentially positive force is recognised in the poet’s representation of his father’s connection to his Polis past. The metaphor ‘where his father kept pace only with the Joneses of his minds making’, coupled with the simile, ‘loved his garden like an only child’, captures his father’s immersion in Polish culture and his indifference OR more likely his fathers pretermit to the world around, suggestive of a deep emotive attachment to his garden, which serves as a nexus of his agrarian heritage and ataration or stoic indifference to new cultures. This sense of contentment finds resolution in the tranquillity that shapes his fathers connection to his past, evident in the gentle meandering and lyrical emotive enjambment where the poet describes his father as he ‘sits out the evening with his dog...happy as I have never been’, suggesting that a profound sense of belonging contributes to a positive sense personal identity. Paradoxically, however, Felik’s immersion into his Polish heritage inhibits his capacity to assimilate and contributes to an emotional and psychological rift between father and son. ’Did your father ever attempt to learn...

...-Essay: 1300- 1500 words. ‘A sense of belonging is never permanent.’ Discuss in relation to TWO poems and TWO pieces of related texts.
Belonging is having a connection between a place, person or possession. This relationship is based on how one feels about these bonds. Through Peter Skrzynecki’s two poems “Ancestors” and “10 Mary street” we look at how a sense of belonging Is not permanent. Through the use of related texts the understanding of this statement is better gripped. The movie “The Help” written and directed by Tate Taylor, this text includes two worlds that are separated by skin colour brought together by one book. The colourful picture book “Where the wild things are” Written and illustrated in 1963 by Maurice Sendak includes many important life lessons in the field of belonging. These four texts deeply relate to discover the different concepts in like and how a sense of being a part of something is never permanent.
The picture book “Where the wild things are” introduces conflict with the main character Max and his mother and father. His parents send him to his room and when he is there he feeds his anger with fantasy. He realises that his anger separates him from who he loves, and he decides that this cannot be happening. Max is a part of his family, and his fantasy world. He finds it hard to belong to both at the same time so he is then forced to choose between the two. Hence giving a...

...BelongingEssay
Within the concept of belonging there is a understanding that the human not only belongs to certain aspects of society but also Is enthusiastic about trying to gain acceptance and inclusion consciously with in one’s environment.
With in context of belonging we are to see through Peter Skrzynecki poem St.Patrick College the emotional stances of apathetic nature towards the protagonist surroundings.
Skrzynecki show inclusion in the poem St. Patricks College. In the poem Skrzynecki is clearly included in the school as he wears the “blue, black and gold”. While he is included at the school there does not seem a real sense of belonging to it. Skrzynecki appears to have a sense of apathy towards the school. Skrzynecki uses repetition to get across the amount of time he spent at school through the line “For eight years” giving a strong sense of apathy, even though he is included. Skrzynecki also creates an idea of apathy through the lines “Luceat Lux Vestra I thought was a brand of soap” the idea of the school motto and him not knowing it gives a sense of apathy that he doesn’t care but he is included in the college life. Skrzynecki gives a sense that he is doing it for his mother more then this is convincingly shown through the lines...

...﻿Belonging is achieved by many paths.
Belonging is a fundamental desire inherent within humans. However, there are various ways to attain a sense of belonging as it can be gained through the forging of relationships to people and places or through the understanding and sharing of similar cultural and religious identities. In Tate Taylor‘s film “The Help”, Peter Skrzynecki’s poem “FeliksSkrzynecki” and “Migrant Hostel”, regardless of whether people attempt to discover belonging under the biased American social context in 1963 or under immigration boom in Post War Australia, the paths lead toward belonging are significantly explored through the actions undertaken by the characters either to maintain one’s belonging or to establish a new sense of belonging.
Undoubtedly, a powerful sense of belonging can be attained through a person’s connection to places and the strong human relationships. In FeliksSkrzynecki, Feliks’s desire to maintain his belonging to his Polish heritage is achieved through his connection with his garden as he “loved his garden like an only child”, the simile compares the garden with his child which emphases his familial and intimate relationship with his garden and his home. The garden is a symbol of his Polish identity/autonomy, consequently this strong affiliation...